If you were to move out of Fl where? (Miami: for rent, health insurance)

[tallrick]

I don't want to leave Florida but if I do, I have a formal checklist:
a) Median home price = or less than 3x median income. b) Abundant water resources c) No Team Metro or equivalent d) Local energy and food resources. e) No foreign or outside investment. f) No mass migration or population increases.

This is ideal. I will settle for just the first three requirements, no matter where it will be.

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by 121804

Ahhh.....

No.

Talk about beaches...you all gotta try out Bondi Beach on the coast of Sydney, Australia. Talk about pure beauty.

Give me Martha's Vineyard any day over SWFL beaches. I love that area of NE.

My dh tells me he has "settled" for OH and that it will never compare to western Mass. Never asked him to settle, but you NE'ers...always reminding us midwesterners how "uncultured" we are

And Puerto Rico is suppose to be very nice. Many untouched areas & not so uber cheesy tourisy as Cancun or Bahamas.

Turks/Cascos (sp?) are also another I've heard a lot of good.

I was on a cruise a couple of years ago and we stopped at Turks & Caicos. The "big" resort area, mostly for the cruisers I suppose, wasn't even completely finished but most of it was functioning. There was still some construction of condos/townhouses too down along the shore.

I'll tell you, I thought it was VERY, VERY peaceful there. The water was beautiful but it was warm and not a ripple in sight. If I remember, it's supposed to be a good snorkeling haven but I didn't do that.

The water was nice though but you should leave your surfboard at home.

[hiknapster]

It would be wonderful if things in Cuba could change, VPCats. That is such a beautiful country.

[Jara]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

It would be wonderful if things in Cuba could change, VPCats. That is such a beautiful country.

Your so right Cuba is a beautiful country. The last time I was there was with my family in 1958. It was a suprise Winter Break Vacation plus business venture for my father and my uncle. I was a teenager and loved the glamor of the Hotel Sanatogo, beaches. It was an artist paradise as well.Our vacation came to a hult,we flew back to Miami Fl.. Then we heard and seen history before our eyes. Batista went into exile and Castro took over. New Year's Eve 1959.

[hiknapster]

I spoke to a woman that, as a child, was able to escape Cuba, via the Roman Catholic church and the nuns, possibly in 1960, or earlier.

That was one advantage of living in southwest Florida: I was able to speak to a few women of Cuba. Incredible women with staggering stories.

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by BacktoFLigo

I second that... I love Wells Maine, York, Ogunquit, right up to Kennebunk port. As a child my parents went there every summer... i love it there, I feel at peace there.

But isn't the water too frigid to even get in it?

[ChrisA70]

Originally Posted by staywarm2

But isn't the water too frigid to even get in it?

Hampton Beach, N.H. has rediculously COLD water... But the wierd thing is the water at Wells beach, York Beach. Ogunquit, is not too bad. Water in the 60's is a lot more refreshing than 88 degree bathwater in the gulf.... Or the 85 degree water on the east coast. How refreshing is 90 degree water when it's 95 out???? And when you get out of the water you are under a magnifying glass on the beaches down here.

[Jara]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I spoke to a woman that, as a child, was able to escape Cuba, via the Roman Catholic church and the nuns, possibly in 1960, or earlier.

That was one advantage of living in southwest Florida: I was able to speak to a few women of Cuba. Incredible women with staggering stories.

Isn't that remarkable. I've heard of stories like that. If things were different in Cuba I'd live there, but wouldn't chance a trip. Well Earnest Hemingway had some tasty picks. Spain, Key Largo, Cuba. When some of my Cuban friends go for a visit, I tell them to give my regards to Santa Clara. Older members of my family are buried there. It was Salonica Greece to Cuba then the USA. This was in the 1930's.

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by BacktoFLigo

Hampton Beach, N.H. has rediculously COLD water... But the wierd thing is the water at Wells beach, York Beach. Ogunquit, is not too bad. Water in the 60's is a lot more refreshing than 88 degree bathwater in the gulf.... Or the 85 degree water on the east coast. How refreshing is 90 degree water when it's 95 out???? And when you get out of the water you are under a magnifying glass on the beaches down here.

Wow, and to think I used to heat my pool water to 90 degrees in SE FL!! LOL

[theqbaby]

Originally Posted by vpcats

I was on a cruise a couple of years ago and we stopped at Turks & Caicos. The "big" resort area, mostly for the cruisers I suppose, wasn't even completely finished but most of it was functioning. There was still some construction of condos/townhouses too down along the shore.

I'll tell you, I thought it was VERY, VERY peaceful there. The water was beautiful but it was warm and not a ripple in sight. If I remember, it's supposed to be a good snorkeling haven but I didn't do that.

The water was nice though but you should leave your surfboard at home.

I have to second this.
Although we were not in the "resort" area, we did have the opportunity to live there for 21 months.My husband worked on the 2 different resorts there. Can't remember the name of 1 (need more coffee), but he had to take a boat every morning to get to the private island where the resort was located.
As anywhere, it is a bit different if you are not on vacation.
Beaches were amazing. The beach we were staying at was deserted. Every day my son and I would be the only ones there. Gorgeous waters and very peaceful.
We did snorkel daily. Picking lobsters out of the waters for dinner just about nightly.
My main complaint or dislike of the island was availability of food and supplies.
For groceries, there was one small store which got delivery by boat on Thursdays. If you did not shop on Thursday, you did not get red meat or meat for that matter or fresh milk. Which is why we ate lobster every day.
At the time, my son was still on the baby bottle. I needed new nipples for the bottle and had to have them shipped from the U.S. because there was none on the island. Needless to say, he got broke from the bottle and potty trained real quick !

Great experience !